Saradona, now perched up on the wall, coughed with her tail wrapped around her hips. A shadow grew on her legs, and she looked up to Miya limping over to her, a river of blood and damp-red footsteps at her backside.

“Who… Who do you… Wor…” Miya attempted to speak but fell to her knees. She then gasped while clenching her chest.

Saradona gazed over to V903 and Vael, continuing to pull the blade with their combined strength, and sighed.

“You’re hurt, kleintje. Barely able to make sentence. Rest. You’re just-“

“Don… Don’t pity me… You… You crick- HARGH…!“ Miya covered a deep-barking cough, the in-betweens of her fingers oozing with maroon swill.

Saradona lifted herself off the ground with a groan, then walked past Miya, looking at her backside with an empathetic gaze. “Your determination is commendable, kleintje. Very strong rusieya, or will.”

She then continued walking. Miya turned to her side, then crawled across the floor, groaning with fluttering eyes.

With a final pull, V903 tipped the rocket blade out of Vael’s stomach. She stumbled back as the thrusters continued to fire and flew through the air into a nearby wall.

V903 offered a hand to Vael, who took it while covering her side. Saradona walked over to them, then looked behind her at Orimi and the sesnir pressed against a corner at the edge of the room. Her eyes then widened, with both amazement and discern.

Though slow and sluggish, Miya dragged herself across the ground in front of Orimi. Then raised her hands in the air, showing her bloodied chest flaps with a grin as blood dripped from her nose, mouth, and ears.

“If you wan’ them… Come an’ gwet thwem…” Miya slurred.

A bang came from the hatch door at the edge of the room.

“We’re out of time. They’re here.” V903 shook their head and took a capsule from their hip. They then clicked the tip of the greenish-glowing tube as Saradona and Vael put a hand on each of their shoulders.

“The next time I see you,” Vael’s tone grew deep and menacing, “You’re dead.”

A blinding silver light then evoked from the capsule, sucking their bodies inward until they were but a blip, then releasing an ear-splitting pop that cracked the ground as they instantly vanished.

The hatch door pushed open slowly from both sides, then a group of battle-suited security personnel stormed in, securing the entire room with clamps of metal footsteps.

Lyndova dove through the hole in the hatch door and raced to Orimi’s side. He hugged her tight as Orimi nuzzled herself onto his shoulder with tears streaming down her pink cheeks.

Two Aerlanians ran past the hole as well. Their rainbow-glittering robes wisped as they also ran down to hug the sesnir.

Enima walked over in front of Miya, whose face was now glued to the floor with blood dripping from a glob on the tip of her nose.

“She’s unconscious. She needs to get to a medical-pod immediately. Put in the word to the ground forces for immediate ship landing terminals to open.”

Two armed security guards saluted and then ran past the hatch door. Orimi blinked a tear from her eye, then looked over her father’s shoulder at Miya, a mumble coming from her face brace.

. . .

Orimi's lips curled into a smile as Miya's eyes briefly opened. She then leaned in closer as Miya's eyes closed back.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Give her some time, Orimi. I couldn't imagine what she's been through in there."

"But I know!" Orimi enthused while jumping to her seat. She attempted to pick up the thruster blade resting near her seat with a forceful pull it wouldn't budge.

" G-gord... That’s heavy..." She gasped, then shook her head. "Well anyway, she went here and there... Zip, then flash! It was incredible!" Orimi storied while mimicking blade strokes and twirls.

The carrier shook, making her stumble as she caught herself from falling face-first on her tiptoes.

"Please sit down, Orimi-nol." Enima sighed.

"Haha... Yeah... But you get it, right? She was incredible!"

As she sat down, she looked over at Miya with a smile. Her eyes widened, and the sides of her cheeks flushed a bright pink as she stared into Miya's awakened gaze.

"Oh, you're awake! I was so worried-"

"Report," Miya commanded.

"R-report? Ah, um..." Orimi looked over to Lyndova.

"No need for formalities. We're all above rank here, Xarzallon. Or if you'd rather call me by your name."

Miya leaned up, causing the pod’s clear shielding to rise as she jumped off the bed. Her suit, now cleaned of bloody splotches, radiated an inky glow that beamed with the bottom of her heels.

"That gear is quite amazing. Cell saturation was skipped as your skin wear did most of the work in the healing bed." Enima intrigued.

Miya sat on Orimi's ledge, then crossed one leg over the other.

"Report." She said once more.

"Hm. The crickers escaped using the same method to capture both their hostages. Nothing left out of the ordinary. We did some scans on the fluids left by, 'Vael' by the hostages report, but no exoskeleton using presucide are known in this sector."

"The 'hostage' is right here!" Orimi puffed her cheeks. She then hopped a seat beside Miya with a gleam in her eyes.

"I don't think we have the chance to meet. I'm-"

"Orimi Amuriha. Mid-civ. Related to Lyndova Amuriha and Emelia Cylo’voska, both respected enforcers of Gala Fol and Thy Nol, respectively. Known as a V-Idol of the Pop-Trop genre with a wider audience on the Q for ARV-games."

"W-woah... So you know me? I mean, are you a fan, or-"

"I know what your civ report for this mission told me. I haven't heard of you until today."

"Oh, aha... Well, did you at least catch my performance?"

Miya scrunched her eyes shut while folding her arms. She then turned her head to the side with a groan.

"Oh... Right... You must still be tired... I'll check..." She scooted a seat back. "I'll check back later..."

"It would be nice to get a personal log if you don't mind, Xarzallon," Enima asked. "What type of weapons did the crickers use? Anything out of the ordinary?"

"The big one analyzed my moves mid-fight while also firing imperceptible blasts from their arm. The second one could morph their arms into multiple weapons, from sharp ends to blasters. The last was a Srecha female that was a non-combatant."

"I see... And the device used for transportation?" Lyndova asked.

"Tube-like, colored like a grent. The top was an initiating button. After approximately five mekts, they vanished, another two mekts the point, then three mekts the particle expansion."

Lyndova raised his eyebrows. "You got all that? Enima said you were unconscious."

"I heard you run over to your daughter, and the reinforcements come in the room. Despite me being unconscious, I was very aware."

Lyndova and Enima exchanged glances. Orimi tapped the sides of the thruster blade while gaping widely at Miya.

Miya turned to her, bucking her head with a snarl of her lip, making Orimi's eyes jolt to the floor.

"S-sorry..."

“Elk geval,” Enima began, “Though you disobeyed direct orders to stay with your designated team, you still got both hostages back safe and without any casualties.”

“Not, including yourself, of course.” Lyndova gestured with his hand. “But a very commendable effort, especially for your first patrol job. I’m curious, though… As to what your Jastis Kansiya could infer from your character.”

“Jastis Kansiya,” Orimi repeated with a tilt of her head. “What’s that?”

“An assessment given to newly inducted officers of each branch of Aestero Pol," Enima answers, a small wave of lights glowing down her back. "It’s a psych evaluation to determine whether your actions or approach on the job fall within something you would do consciously.”

“Oh so… It’s like… A justice test!” Orimi blurted with a gleam.

“In a way, yes. Every individual’s results are different because everyone has limits or constructs set to what they will do to achieve justice,” Lyndova adds. "It doesn't matter what those limits or ideals are, just as long as you're sane while committing to them."

Miya places a metal injection capsule onto her neck. She then clicks the side, causing the capsule to release its wine-red solution into her veins.

“Getting over some trauma, soldier?” Lyndova murmured, leaning forward in his seat.

Miya scrunched her eyes, then turned to the side. “None of your business.”

Enima looked over at Lyndova and then at Miya. “What does that mean?”

The shuttle shook from turbulence once more.

“Nothing at all.” Lyndova deflected. “We’re on course for Aestero and should arrive in the armistice zone shortly. We’ll convene with the Coordinant and see if we can get you issued a Jastis before I depart to Thy Nol.”

Orimi glanced over to Miya, who was already sound asleep with her arms crossed.

“I wonder what type of justice she has….”